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Drayton Manor Park

Tom said:
Was it operating on all sides today? Anyway, great ride and a massive loss as people say.

Well done @Trooper Looper for adding those touches to the Haunting (if you were behind them), little things like that can add up to make a big difference to people's impressions.
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Indeed it was me that did all this, got all the props as well for it. Even though they were only up for one day, it definitely made my day!

I'll be thrilled to know if anybody here noticed any of these small details!
 
Skyscraper said:
It's been on one chute (sit down) for a long time now, they were trying to get the stand-up floorless back open but I don't think they did in the end.

By the way, in case anyone isn't aware, there's an Apocalypse simulation on ridesims.com;

Apocalypse | Ride Sims

www.ridesims.com www.ridesims.com
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Thanks, I knew of its struggle sin recent times but wondered if they'd managed to get any other sides open. It is a shame that they didn't because it was the stand-up and floorless sides that made it.
 
Trooper Looper said:
Just finished my shift. What a day! Was very lively but had a great day as a whole. Rising apocalypse for the last time was something I wasn't expecting to be so emotional over. Was gut wrenching. Apocalypse really was something special in this country...

Also, if anyone noticed the new additions to the Huanting today, well done for noticing, if you weren't there. Here:

1) new small gravestones placed around the facade garden and cobwebs over headless statue.

2) New stickers on the barrels outside near the house.

3) Pair of spooky hands clutching onto the door of the hut and some additional hazard tape on the hut.

4) New Tape and Stickers in the Preshow, such as no smoking signs, diamond stickers, including a little nod to the rides past as the Metaphysical Research once used plasma to destroy the evil forces of Nicholas Beaules.

5) Old Books placed on the table in the library, with cobwebs now covering the green desk lamp, just to make the room a little darker for a more grim ambience.

And thats that. Unfortunately, the gravestones excluding 1, the hands, and the books have been removed, but everything has retained. I know it's such a subtle change, but I hope to done it'd job, making the ride a little more spooky!

And Apocalypse, you will be missed. GREATLY Missed!
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I saw the hand on the metal shed and the little tombstone.
Parents really need to control there kids more as they were messing around in the graveyards and climbing the trees. There will be a lot of broken branches. They were also looking inside the trapdoor.
I think they really need to sort out the operations on the Haunting when it’s busy. Like after you loaded the guests onto the ride section couldn’t the next guests be loaded into the pre show. I timed it from the moment the staff opened the Trailer door and reopened it again and it was 23 mins. We waited 45 mins and had to leave the queue as would have missed the fireworks.
 
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Themeparksandy1981 said:
I saw the hand on the metal shed and the little tombstone.
Parents really need to control there kids more as they were messing around in the graveyards and climbing the trees. There will be a lot of broken branches. They were also looking inside the trapdoor.
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When I was in the queue for Accelerator a few weeks back a couple of kids climbed into one of the walled theming sections. The op saw on CCTV and did an announcement asking them to leave.
 
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Themeparksandy1981 said:
I saw the hand on the metal shed and the little tombstone.
Parents really need to control there kids more as they were messing around in the graveyards and climbing the trees. There will be a lot of broken branches. They were also looking inside the trapdoor.
I think they really need to sort out the operations on the Haunting when it’s busy. Like after you loaded the guests onto the ride section couldn’t the next guests be loaded into the pre show. I timed it from the moment the staff opened the Trailer door and reopened it again and it was 23 mins. We waited 45 mins and had to leave the queue as would have missed the fireworks.
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Attending on the Haunting can be a bit of a hassle sometimes sorry. The fact is that the Sign reading that every cycle is 15 minutes can vary nowadays when compared to its previous forms. This version of the Haunting is by far the longest, the preshows are longer. The cellar used to be a simple corridor with a jumpsccare and you wouldn't need to wait for everyone to be in before triggering them. Back then, all you did was walk through the cellar, press the button, open up to the library and the scare would follow a few seconds after (I think). Now it's a full fledge scene which adds a lot of time to the experiences duration.

Another note is probably the new audio added for the current experience back when it was redone for 2016. It's just TOO LOUD. Loud enough that I have to raise my voice most of the time for guests just to be able to hear me. This also takes up a bit of time as well, especially for the Chapel as its nearly impossible to hear what the guests are saying unless I crouch close to them. Same goes to The R.I.PA Lorry. I'm certain I've suggested that they should either turn the volume down, or bring back the older audios so Guests can hear me :/

The preshows are also longer now. The Vicar and the Vampire ones were much shorter.

All in all, while the rides ambient is great because of the new preshows and audio, it's (personally) a lot harder to attend now. Though I've never attended the rides previous variants, a lot of staff say the Older version were better in both terms of experience and as an attendance.


In terms of the queue, it would be nice for them to add CCTV to the rides outdoor queue in the garden.
 
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A really enjoyable day today, probably the best I’ve had at Drayton for a very long time in terms of atmosphere. Plenty of different things for kids to do, and although I understand 10 minutes is short for a display, it was more than enough for our group of kids, who I guess is the target audience after all.

On a side note, seen a few people talk about the end of the main season, but from what I can see on the website it looks like the full park is open for the second half of the week through November, not just Thomas Land. Has anyone heard anything go to suggest it’s not?
 
Trooper Looper said:
Attending on the Haunting can be a bit of a hassle sometimes sorry. The fact is that the Sign reading that every cycle is 15 minutes can vary nowadays when compared to its previous forms. This version of the Haunting is by far the longest, the preshows are longer. The cellar used to be a simple corridor with a jumpsccare and you wouldn't need to wait for everyone to be in before triggering them. Back then, all you did was walk through the cellar, press the button, open up to the library and the scare would follow a few seconds after (I think). Now it's a full fledge scene which adds a lot of time to the experiences duration.

Another note is probably the new audio added for the current experience back when it was redone for 2016. It's just TOO LOUD. Loud enough that I have to raise my voice most of the time for guests just to be able to hear me. This also takes up a bit of time as well, especially for the Chapel as its nearly impossible to hear what the guests are saying unless I crouch close to them. Same goes to The R.I.PA Lorry. I'm certain I've suggested that they should either turn the volume down, or bring back the older audios so Guests can hear me :/

The preshows are also longer now. The Vicar and the Vampire ones were much shorter.

All in all, while the rides ambient is great because of the new preshows and audio, it's (personally) a lot harder to attend now. Though I've never attended the rides previous variants, a lot of staff say the Older version were better in both terms of experience and as an attendance.


In terms of the queue, it would be nice for them to add CCTV to the rides outdoor queue in the garden.
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At the start of the season they did load the ride and then came back and loaded the pre-show so you were averaging 10 min waits don’t know when that changed. I usually wouldn’t have bothered but the misses hadn’t been on the ride in years.
I think they should change the old signage and add it only fits 40 guests per cycle.
I been going the fire works for 20 years and this was the worst last day of a season I ever seen.
Like after it was announced today that the event was sold out they could have extended some of the rides to 8pm as I know Shawn and Charlotte got on Apocalypse around 9pm. By the time the fireworks ended and they did test rides but the Viking rides didn’t open to nearly 6:30 so by the time I had got off it all the rest of the queues were closed. The fireworks were excellent a good choice but the sound system looked and sounded awful compared to the previous systems. Also I really miss the lasers and Fire effects.
 
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It is a shame that Apocalypse is no more, but not a surprise when you see the sorry state they allowed it to reach. Perhaps if it had been properly maintained over time it would be staying for longer. But there comes a point when the cost of sorting it out is far more than it is worth.

I am interested to see what the future of the park is going to be like. I know I am not their primary target market, but it would be nice if they added something that made me consider going back.
 
Rob said:
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I am interested to see what the future of the park is going to be like. I know I am not their primary target market, but it would be nice if they added something that made me consider going back.
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Yeah I don't think I'll be going back untill Apocalypse's replacement opens, depending on what it is.
 
Does anyone have any thoughts on what the park might add in 2023? I know the Apocalypse/Pandamonium area is likely for their 2024 project so I'm wondering what is likely to be added in 2023. I know their 5 year funding does give them a few million for a new ride next year. Two areas stand out to me, there is a large space in Vikings next to Slephir for another attraction to be added there. The other is the cancelled 2020 tea cups site in Thomasland. Only other site I think we might see something is if things have been going on inside Pirates Adventure but we couldn't see because of its all inside. What are your thoughts?
 
At a guess I'd say an additional ride in Thomas Land, as you've mentioned, then possibly just refreshing a few other areas around the park. I did hear they were looking at something at the back of the zoo where the second station is, probably not a ride though with houses in such close proximity there.
 
I could see a new ride in Thomas Land, it has been a while and it's a sure fire way for a return on investment for them. I do think we may see something like a show or something else small. I think whatever it will be will be fairly cheap. Mainly because we've had back to back years of fairly large investments and are likely about to receive an even bigger one in 2024.
 
I think they really need to sort out Thomas land for next year. With it been 15 years old the original buildings are in a bad state and with it only been closed from Christmas Day to Feb half term it don’t give them much time to do much work. Can see a new ride or 2 opening In 2023 with hopefully the model railway engines been repaired as only the yellow train and Rosie are working.
I hope that after 3 years the ice rink will come back for the Christmas event as the flooring is still just inside the pirate adventure entrance building.
Forgot to add when I was leaving yesterday left on top of a bin was 2 night of the Manor cups so I took them home and cleaned them and they look better than the whole event.
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